Israeli govt pushes off October 7 commission of inquiry by 3 months

The Israeli government on Sunday night decided to push off by 90 days discussion on an independent commission of inquiry into the October 7 attacks.

The meeting was held after the High Court of Justice in December gave the government 90 days to hold a hearing on the matter.

Netanyahu and other government ministers say a state inquiry into failings that led to Hamas’s October 7 attacks should only be held after the war. Critics accuse Netanyahu of delaying the inquiry and trying to water down the powers of a commission.

There have been growing calls for the government to appoint an independent commission of inquiry to investigate political and military failures. Such commissions have broader authority to summon witnesses and collect evidence and are headed by a senior Supreme Court justice. They may include personal recommendations about individuals under investigation, though the government is not bound to act on the recommendations.

The last state commission of inquiry, which investigated Israel’s worst civilian disaster — a stampede that killed 45 people at a holy site on Mount Meron — held Netanyahu personally responsible for the tragedy in a report released in April.

The military presented its own inquiry to Defense Minister Israel Katz. That probe only dealt with operational and command issues and not political decisions. Israel Defense Forces’ Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Herzi and a second general responsible for southern Israel announced their resignations in January.

The IDF Chief of Staff serves for three years with the possibility of a one-year extension. The last time chief of staff to leave the post before the end of his term was Lt.-Gen. Dan Halutz, who resigned in 2007 over IDF failures during the Second Lebanon War of 2006.

Maj.-Gen. (res.) Eyal Zamir was nominated to replace Halevi, who steps down on March 6.

At least 1,200 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas’s attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the 76 remaining hostages, more than 30 are believed to be dead.